A network, usually TCP/IP, consisting of multiple networks joined by routers. More generally, an internetwork is any network consisting of smaller networks joined in any fashion using bridges, switches, routers, and other devices. For example, an Internet Protocol (IP) internetwork could consist of a mix of Microsoft Windows NT or Windows 2000 and UNIX machines distributed over different subnets, connected with standard IP routers from Cisco Systems or another vendor.
An Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX) internetwork could be a set of networks using Novell NetWare clients and servers running IPX that are connected using IPX-enabled routers.
Internetworking is the process of planning, implementing, and maintaining an internetwork. For IP internetworks, this involves such tasks as